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COMMON QUESTIONS
People Ask About
1
Common Questions
People Ask
About
Islam
Shabir Ally
Al Attique Int'l Islamic Publications
Toronto, Ont. Canada
In the name of Allah,
Most Gracious,
Most Mercifu
V
About the Author:
Shabir Ally is the director of Islamic Information and Da'wah
Centre International, based in Toronto, Canada. He migrated from
Guyana, his birthplace, in 1978 and proceeded to acquire skills
necessary to present a comprehensive message of Islam to peoples
of all faiths or none. In particular, his scholarly knowledge of
Bible combined with a pleasant approach to dialogues and debates
have given him the winning edge in many public encounters. He
has represented Islam in numerous dialogues, debates and public
lectures in England, Canada, USA and Guyana. He operates two
radio shows broadcasting out of Toronto and Edmonton. He
studies by correspondence with Laurentian University in Sudbury.
He travels extensively to deliver lectures on Islam and
comparative religion at various university campuses.
ontents
5
Question 1 Page 9
What does Jihad mean?
Question 2 Page 1 1
Why did Prophet Muhammad marry many wives?
Question 3 Page 14
Isn't it true that Islam was spread by the sword?
Question 4 Page 1 8
Muslims believe that Jesus did not die on the cross. Does
that mean he died of natural causes? Will he come again?
How come he is the only prophet to return?
Question 5 Page 20
Why does the Qur'an allow Muslim men to have four wives?
Question 6 Page 23
Isn't it true that the Qur'an is copied from the Bible?
Question 7 Page 26
Dr. Robert Morey claims in his book that Allah is the name of
the moon god worshipped in Arabia before Islam. Is he right?
6
Question 8 Page 29
What are some of the rights given to women in Islam?
Question 9 Page 31
Muslims say they do not worship idols. How come when they
go to Mecca they kiss a black stone? Isn't that like
worshipping an idol?
Question 10 Page 32
Muhammad is dead. But Jesus is alive. Doesn't that mean that
Jesus is superior to Muhammad?
Question 1 1 Page 35
What does Islam say about domestic violence?
Question 12 Page 37
Muslims say they do not believe in the Bible. Yet, when it is
convenient for them, they quote verses out of context to prove
their claims. Isn't this a dishonest way of going about it 0
Question 13 Page 39
What does Islam say about abortion? Are there any
circumstances when abortion is allowed in Island What if
pregnancy results from rape or incest?
Question 14 Page 41
Jesus said that he is the way and that no one can come to
God except through him. What do Muslims say about that?
7
Question 15 Page 44
Muslims say that the Qur'an is a Miracle. What is so
miraculous about a book?
Question 16 Page 46
If God is Loving, Kind, and Merciful, why would He punish
anyone in Hell?
Question 17 Page 48
Why is it that Muslims do not accept the doctrine of original
sin?
Question 18 Page 51
You said that every child of Adam is a sinner. Does that mean
we are born with sin?
Question 19 Page 53
If there is no original sin, how come everyone has to die?
Isn't death the consequence of sin?
Question 20 Page 56
How can you say that death is not the consequence for sin
whereas the Bible clearly teaches that it is?
Question 21 Page 59
Does the Qur'an have the story of the Fall of Man as told in
the Bible? Are the stories similar or different?
Question 22 Page 61
Why does the Qur'an agree with the Bible in some things and
disagree in other things?
Question 23 Page 64
Does the Qur'an teach Muslims to believe in the Torah, the
Psalms and the gospel?
Question 24 Page 66
What does Islam say about homosexuality?
Question 25 Page 68
Why do Muslim women cover their heads? Isn't this a sign of
subjection of women?
Question 26 Page 70
The Bible says in Revelation 22: 18, 19 that nothing is to be
added to it. In view of this, how can a believer in the Bible
accept the Qur'an?
Question 27 Page 73
Does the Qur'an contain any prophecies about the future?
Have any of these proved true?
m
Question 1
What does Jihad mean?
Answer
This word represents a concept which is much
misunderstood in the West. The term is explained nicely
by the Christian scholar Ira G. Zepp, Jr. in his book
entitled A Muslim Primer on pages 133-1 35. We adapt
from his answer the following:
The essential meaning of Jihad is the spiritual,
psychological, and physical effort we exert to be close
to God and thus achieve a just and harmonious society.
Jihad literally means "striving" or "struggle" and is
shorthand for Jihad fi Sabeel Allah (struggle for God's
cause). In a sense, every Muslim is a Mujahid, one
who strives for God and justice.
Al-Ghazali captured the essence of Jihad when he
said: "The real Jihad is the warfare against (one's own)
passions." Dr. Ibrahim Abu-Rabi calls Jihad "the
execution of effort against evil in the self and every
manifestation of evil in society." In a way, Jihad is the
Muslim's purest sacrifice: to struggle to live a perfect
life and completely submit to God.
Another form of Jihad is the striving to translate
the Word of God into action. If one has experienced God
and received guidance from the Qur'an, one struggles to
Common Qu estions People Ask About Islam
10
apply that guidance in daily life. So the larger, more
prevalent meaning of Jihad is the spiritual struggle of the soul. In
this case, Jihad is always present for the believer whether there is
an external enemy or not. We should never reduce Jihad to
violence.
A third level of Jihad is popularly known as "holy
war." The classic passage is found in the Qur'an:
( 190 »yU' ) ji^iii'
"Fight in the way of Allah those who fight against you,
but transgress not the limits. Truly Allah likes not the
transgressors" (Qur'an 2:190).
It is crucial to note here that what is condoned is
defensive warfare; Islam cannot justify aggressive war,
Muhammad 1 and the Tradition are also against killing
non-combatants, torturing of prisoners, the destruction
of crops, animals and homes.
Adapted from Ira G. Zepp, Jr., A Muslim Primer (1992,
Wakefield Editions, US) pp. 133-135.
Robert Ellwood of the University of Southern
California has the following to say about the Muslim
concept of Jihad:
Out of the community ideaof Islam comes the concept
of jihad, or holy war, which is designed to defend
Islam and allow its social practice, though not to force
Common Questions People Afk About Islam
II
individual conversions, which is forbidden. Since
Islam in principle is a community as well as a religion,
presumably only an absolute pacifist would be able to
reject the theory of jihad out of hand, since other
communities also fight to defend or expand their ways
of life.
(Many Peoples, Many Faiths by Robert S. Ellwood, 4th
edition, Simon & Schuster, US, 1982, p. 346).
1 May Allah shower peace and blessings upon His noble
messenger.
***
Question 2
Why did Prophet Muhammad marry many wives?
Answer
When people hear that the prophet had many wives they
conclude without much thought that the prophet was a
sensuous man. However, a quick historical review of his
marriages, proves otherwise.
When he was twenty-five years old he married for the
first time. His wife, Khadijah, was fifteen years older
than he. She remained the only wife of the prophet for
the next twenty-five years, until she died (may Allah be
pleased with her).
Only after her death, did the prophet marry other
Common Questions Peo ple Ask About Islam
12
women. Now, it is obvious that if the prophet was after
physical pleasure he did not have to wait until he was
more than fifty years old to start marrying more wives.
He lived in a society in which it was quite acceptable to
have many wives. But the prophet remained devoted to
his only wife for twenty-five years. When she died she
was sixty-five years old.
His later marriages were for various reasons. Some
marriages were with the view to help the women whose husbands
had been killed while they were defending their faith. Others
were with a view to cement relationships with devoted followers
like Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Yet others were to
build bridges with various tribes who were otherwise at war with
the Muslims. When the prophet became their relative through
marriage, their hostilities calmed down, and much blood shed was
averted.
Recent non-Muslim writers who had the opportunity to
study the life of the prophet first-hand reach a similar
conclusion about his plural marriages.
John L. Esposito, Professor of Religion and Director of
the Centre for International Studies at the College of the
Holy Cross, says that most of these marriages had
"political and social motives" (Islam: The Straight Path,
Oxford University Press, 1988, p. 19). This he explained
as follows:
"As was customary for Arab chiefs, many were
political marriages to cement alliances. Others were
marriages to the widows of his companions who had
fallen in combat and were in need of protection"
(John L. Esposito, Islam: The Straight Path, pp. 19-20).
Commqn Questions People Ask About Islam
11
Esposito reminds us of the following historical fact:
"Though less common, polygyny was also permitted in
biblical and even in postbiblical Judaism. From
Abraham, David, and Solomon down to the reformation
period, polygyny was practiced (p. 19).
Another non-Muslim Caesar E. Farah writes as
follows:
"In the prime of his youth and adult years Muhammad remained
thoroughly devoted to Khadijah and would have none other for
consort. This was an age that looked upon plural marriages with
favor and in a society that in pre-Biblical and post-Biblical days
considered polygamy an essential feature of social existence.
David had six wives and numerous concubines (2 Samuel 5:13; 1
Chronicles 3:1-9, 14:3) and Solomon was said to have had as
many as 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3).
Solomon's son Rehoboam had 18 wives and 60 concubines (2
Chronicles 11:21). The New Testament contains no specific
injunction against plural marriages. It was commonplace for the
nobility among the Christians and Jews to contract plural
marriages. Luther spoke of it with toleration" (Caesar E. Farah,
Islam: Beliefs and Observances, 4th edition, Barron's, U.S. 1987,
p. 69).
Caesar Farah then concluded that Muhammad's plural
marriages were due "partly to political reasons and
partly to his concern for the wives of his companions
who had fallen in battle defending the nascent Islamic
community" (p. 69).
* May Allah shower peace and blessings upon His noble
Common Questions Peo ple Ask About Islam
14
messenger.
Question 3
Isn't it true that Islam was spread by the sword?
No. This is not true. However, this is a common
misconception in the minds of many people.
The Qur'an declares:
"There is no compulsion in religion. The right
direction is henceforth distinct from error" (Qur'an
2:256).
This Qur'anic verse shows that God has made truth and
falsehood distinct from each other and people are
therefore free to choose one or the other. No one can be
forced to believe in a religion since belief is something
very personal. One who follows the Qur'an will not try
to force another person to believe.
Answer
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Common Questions People Ask About Islam
15
Even the prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, could
not force another person to become a Muslim. God
revealed to him the following words:
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"And if your Lord willed, all who are in the earth
would have believed together. Would you then compel
people until they become believers? It is not for any
soul to believe except by the permission of Allah
(Qur'an 10:99-100).
This instruction from God makes it clear that anyone is
mistaken who thinks that he or she can compel others to
believe. If God wanted He could make everyone
believers, but rather has given them free choice. Even
so, no one can believe upon being forced. It is the grace
of God on a person that will result in belief. Is there a
teaching more beautiful than this? How could any true
follower of the Qur'an turn around and force his faith on
others?
On the contrary, the Qur'an instructs its followers on
how to call people to true faith as follows:
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
"Call unto the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair
exhortation, and reason with them in the better way"
(Qur'an 16:125).
Where does the Qur'an say call people at the point of a
sword? It does not. God instructed his messenger, on
whom be peace, as follows:
(108 a** > uif p-iii jfUi
"Say: This is my Way: I invite unto Allah with sure
knowledge, I and whosoever follows me" (Qur'an
12:108).
Here again, the call is to be made with sure knowledge,
with clear evidence. Putting these instructions together,
a Muslim understands that he or she must present Islam
with clear evidence (i.e. sure knowledge) and use
wisdom and fair exhortation to reason with people to
accept the evidence for faith. Where is there any
mention of sword in all of this? The Junior
Encyclopedia of Canada says: "Islam is the fastest-
growing religion worldwide" (The Junior Encyclopedia
of Canada, Hurtig Publishers, Canada, 1990, Vol. 2, p.
396).
What explains this phenomenon? Who is forcing
anyone today to become Muslims? Muslims are not even
engaged in active preaching in any noticeable degree.
Common Questn
12
People are voluntarily coming into Islam because they
find that Islam makes sense.
Huston Smith discusses in his book entitled The
World's Religions, on page 256, how the prophet
Muhammad, on whom be peace, granted freedom of
religion to the Jews and Christians under Muslim rule.
The prophet had a document drawn up in which he
stipulated that Jews and Christians shall be "protected
from all insults and vexations; they shall have an equal
right with our own people to our assistance and good
offices," and furthermore, that they shall "practice their
religion as freely as the Muslims" (Quoted in The
World's Religions by Huston Smith, Harper Collins,
1991, p. 256). Smith points out that Muslims regard that
document as "the first charter of freedom of conscience
in human history and the authoritative model for those of
every subsequent Muslim state" (p. 256).
So, was Islam spread by the sword? The following
short answer comes from Ira Zepp Jr., a non-Muslim, in
his book entitled A Muslim Primer:
"It is unfortunate that Islam has been stereotyped as
the 'religion of the sword' or that Islam was 'spread by
the sword.' The historical reality is that the expansion
of Islam was usually by persuasion anot by military
power. In any case, Islam cannot be forced on anyone;
if profession of the shahadah [i.e. the declaration of
Islam] is forced on someone, it is not true Islam" {A
Muslim Primer by Ira Zepp, Jr., 1992, Wakefield
Editions, US, p. 134).
Question 4
Muslims believe that Jesus did not die on the cross.
Does that mean he died of natural causes? Will he
come again? How come he is the only prophet to
return?
Answer
Muslims believe that God's messenger Jesus, son of
Mary, on whom be peace, did not die yet. God tells us in
His own words that Jesus was raised up by God and that
he was neither killed nor crucified (see Qur'an 4: 1 57-
158).
Furthermore, God tells us that in order to foil the plans
of the unbelievers, God recalled Jesus and raised him up
(see Qur'an 3:55):
Muslims understand from these Quranic passages that
Jesus did not die.
Muslims believe that Jesus will be coming again. A
common explanation of verse 159 of Surah 4 in the
Qur'an is that when Jesus returns, the people of the book
will each believe in Jesus as he really is. Another verse
in the Qur'an calls Jesus, on whom be peace, a sign of
the day of Judgement (see Qur'an 43:61).
This was further explained by the prophet Muhammad,
on whom be peace, when he said that Jesus's return will
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
19
be a sign that the day of Judgement is near.
God alone knows the full wisdom behind what He does.
We can only try to understand some of the reasons. With
God's help we can point to several reasons why Jesus
will be coming again.
One reason is that when the angel Gabriel announced to
Mary about the birth of Jesus, he prophesied that Jesus
will speak to mankind while he is a baby and again when
he is mature (see Qur'an 3:46).
But the Arabic word kahlan here translated 'maturity'
actually refers to a maturity at 40 years old. When Jesus
comes back he will live to this age and the prophecy will
be fulfilled. Jesus also foretold his death (see Qur'an
19:33).
This too will be fulfilled when he returns, and Jesus
will be buried in Medina near his brother in faith, the
last prophet, on whom be peace.
Another reason for Jesus's second coming is that he
will be honoured with the opportunity to personally
correct the belief of his people. Too many have
disbelieved and rejected him. Many others have believed
incorrectly about him. When he returns, everyone will
believe in him correctly.
Another reason for his coming is that some of his
teachings have been forgotten (see Qur'an 5:14) and
replaced by misguided teachings (see Qur'an 5:77, 9:30).
Jesus will have the honour to break the symbols of such
false teachings and to dramatically confirm his true
teachings which were also taught by his brother in faith,
the last prophet, on whom be peace.
Another reason is that in the last days an evil man
called the Antichrist will arise. He will spread much
corruption on the earth. Jesus will return to slay this
man and restore peace on earth.
As to why Jesus alone and no other prophet will come
back is for God alone to say. The above are only a few
indications.
Finally, we must admit that Jesus, on whom be peace,
was very unique. His entry into the world was unique,
his departure was unique, and his return will be
spectacular. The Qur'an rightly calls him
"illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of
those brought near (unto Allah)" (Qur'an 3:45).
Why does the Qur'an allow Muslim men to have four
Question 5
wives?
Answer
There are some situations in which it is advantageous to
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
21
society to have men marry multiple wives, and for this
reason polygyny is practiced by many religions and
cultures. As we have already seen in answer to question
2, polygyny is permitted in the Bible too. Here we will
see that the Qur'an permits only a restricted and limited
form of that practice. Only 2% of Muslim marriages are
of this nature.
Notice that the Qur'an permits but does not command a
man to have four wives. Furthermore, the Qur'an
stipulates that a man is responsible for the maintenance
of his wife or wives. If a man has more than one wife,
he has to provide separate living accommodation for
each of his wives.
Multiple marriages are a heavy responsibility on the
male. It is not a pleasure trip as some people may
assume. Some even imagine all kinds of sexual exploits
involving a man and his wives altogether. However, such
activity is not permissible in Islam. A man must divide
his time equally among his wives. He may, for example,
spend one night with each wife on a rotating schedule.
If a man cannot maintain justice in the treatment of his
wives, the Qur'an stipulates that he is to have no more
than one wife.
Polygyny provides a solution to some of life's
problems. When there is a shortage of men, for example
after a devastating war, many women will be unable to
find husbands. Most women in that situation, given the
option, would rather be a co-wife than no wife. If one
maintains a strict monogamy in such a situation, moral
depravity is bound to result.
People Ask About Islam
22
It may be useful at this point to see what some non-
Muslim writers are now saying on this much
misunderstood subject.
John Esposito says:
"Although it is found in many religious and cultural
traditions, polygamy (or more precisely, polygyny) is
most often identified with Islam in the minds of
Westerners. In fact, the Qur'an and Islamic Law
sought to control and regulate the number of spouses
rather than give free license. (John Esposito, Islam:
The Straight Path, Oxford University, 1988, p. 97).
Esposito then goes on to explain that in a society which
allowed men an unlimited number of wives, Islam limited
the number of wives to four. Then he continued to say:
"The Qur'an permits a man to marry up to four wives,
provided he can support and treat them all equally.
Muslims regard this Quranic command as strengthening
the status of women and the family for it sought to
ensure the welfare of single women and widows in a
society whose male population was diminished by
warfare, and to curb unrestricted polygamy" (John
Esposito: Islam the Straight Path, p. 97).
Karen Armstrong explains much the same in her book
entitled Muhammad: A Western Attempt to Understand
Islam. She says:
"We have to see the ruling about polygamy in context.
In seventh-century Arabia, when a man could have as
many wives as he chose, to prescribe only four was a
limitation, not a license to new oppression" (Karen
Armstrong, Muhammad: A Western Attempt to
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
23
Understand Islam, Victor Gollancz Ltd., 1991, p. 191).
It is unfortunate that the Western media often gives the
wrong impression of what Islam is all about. Karen
Armstrong writes:
"Popular films like Harem give an absurd and inflated
picture of the sexual life of the Muslim sheikh which
reveals more about Western fantasy than it does about
the reality" (p. 190).
Some people incorrectly assume that because of this
ruling most Muslim men would have four wives.
However, as Huston Smith points out, "multiple wives
are seldom found in Islam today" {The World's
Religions, p. 252). Ira Zepp, Jr. says that "less than 2%
of Muslim marriages are polygamous" {A Muslim Primer,
p. 180).
About this being a solution for the problem of surplus
women, Ira Zepp, Jr. comments on page 181 of his book:
"The Roman Catholic Church is facing the same
problem today in parts of Africa. Social and economic
reasons are forcing the Church to reconsider polygamy
as a Christian option. See Polygamy Reconsidered by
Eugene Hillman, New York: Orbis Press, 1973."
Question 6
Isn't it true that the Qur'an is copied from the Bible?
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
urns.
2A
Answer
No. This is not true. All evidence show that the Qur'an
could not have been copied from the Bible.
Take for example the story of the flood that occurred in
the days of the prophet Noah, on be peace. This event is
narrated in both the Bible and the Qur'an. A careful
examination of the two versions will show that the
Qur'anic version could have come from no other source
but God alone.
One important difference between the two accounts is
that whereas the Bible describes the flood as a
worldwide flood (see Genesis ch. 7), the Qur'an
mentions it as a local flood affecting the people of Noah
(see Qur'an 7:59-64) Today it is acknowledged that no
record exists of a worldwide flood occurring at the time
specified in the Bible. How did the author of the Qur'an
avoid this mistake unless the author was God Himself?
The closest thing in history to a flood like the one
described in the Bible and the Qur'an, is a discovery
made by Archaeologist Sir Charles Leonard Wooley. In
1929 he discovered remains from a flood which occurred
around 4000 B.C. His findings are described in the book
entitled The Bible as History by Werner Keller. Keller
tells us:
"The incredible discovery at Ur made headline news in
the United States and in Britain" {The Bible as History,
2nd Revised Edition, Bantam Books, 1980, p. 27).
But was this a worldwide flood? After describing the
extent of the flood, Keller explains:
Common Questions People Ask About Islam 25
"Looking at the map we should call it today 'a local
occurrence'" (p. 28).
"In other words," writes Keller, that flood was
"obviously not of sufficient magnitude for the Biblical
Flood" (p. 29). Furthermore, he says: "A flood of the
unimaginable extent described in the Bible still remains
c £rchaeologically not demonstrated'" (pp. 29-30).
Another comparison will again demonstrate that the
Qur'an was not copied from the Bible. In the Bible we
are told that God drowned the Pharaoh and his army
when they pursued Moses, on whom be peace, and his
people (see Exodus 14:28). The clear indication in that
description is that the body of the Pharaoh perished in
the sea. However, the Qur'an dared to differ and prove
true. In the Qur'an we find that God promised to
preserve the body of the Pharaoh as a sign for later
generations (see Qur'an 10:90-92).
True to the Qur'anic promise, the mummified body of
the Pharaoh was discovered by Loret in 1898 at Thebes
in the Kings' Valley (see The Bible, the Qur'an and
Science by Dr. Maurice Bucaille, p. 238). From there it
was transported to Cairo. Elliot Smith removed its
wrappings on July 8, 1907 and gave a detailed
description in his book entitled the Royal Mummies
(1912).
From which source did the author of the Qur'an derive
this information? How did the author of the Qur'an
know that the Pharaoh's body was preserved whereas the
knowledge that the ancient Egyptians mummified their
dead was not discovered until recently? And how could
Common Qu estions People Ask About Islam
the author of the Qur'an predict that the body of the
Pharaoh will be discovered later, unless the author was
God Himself?
**»
Question 7
Dr. Robert Morey claims in his book that Allah is the
name of the moon god worshipped in Arabia before
Islam. Is he right?
Answer
The book you refer to is entitled The Islamic Invasion:
Confronting the World's Fastest Growing Religion,
published by Harvest House Publishers, Oregon, US,
1992. The author, Dr. Robert Morey, sees Islam as an
invasion into North America and a threat to his religious
heritage. Unfortunately, Dr. Morey has resorted to
dishonest tactics is combating Islam. To prove his
contention that Allah is not the God of Christians and
Jews, he quoted from several books in such a dishonest
fashion that the quotations say the opposite of what we
find in those books (see quotations on pages 47-53 of Dr.
Morey's book).
Dr. Morey quoted from the Encyclopedia Britannica to
support his case. But in fact the Encyclopedia says:
"Allah is the standard Arabic word for "God" and is
used by Arab Christians as well as by Muslims"
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
21
(Britannica, 1990 Edition, vol. 1, p. 276).
Dr. Morey also quoted from H.A.R Gibb to support his
case. But Gibb actually says the opposite. In his book
Mohammedanism, Gibb says on page 26 that both
Muhammad and his opponents believed in "the existence
of a supreme God Allah." Gibb further explained this on
pages 37-38 (see Mohammedanism by H.A.R. Gibb,
Oxford University Press, 1969). Dr. Morey should have
checked his references more carefully before his book
went into print.
Dr. Morey said that Alfred Guillaume agrees with him,
and he refers to page 7 of Alfred Guillaume's book
entitled Islam. But here is what Alfred Guillaume
actually says on page 7 of his book:
"In Arabia Allah was known from Christian and Jewish
sources as the one God, and there can be no doubt
whatever that he was known to the pagan Arabs of Mecca
as the supreme being" (Islam by Alfred Guillaume,
Penguin, 1956, p. 7). How could Dr. Morey misquote
like this?
Dr. Morey quoted from page 28 of a book by another
non-Muslim writer Caesar Farah. But when we refer to
that book we find that Dr. Morey gave only a partial
quotation which leaves out the main discussion. The
book actually says that the God who was called II by the
Babylonians and El by the Israelites was called ilah, al-
ilah, and eventually Allah in Arabia (see Islam: Beliefs
and Observances, by Caesar Farah, Barron's Educational
Series, 4th Edition, p. 28). Farah says further on page
31 that before Islam the pagans had already believed that
Common Ques tions People Ask About Islam
Allah is the supreme deity. Of course they had 360
idols, but, contrary to Dr. Morey's assertion, Allah was
never one of the 360 idols. As Caesar Farah points out
on page 56, the prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace,
personally destroyed those idols.
Dr. Morey also quoted from William Montgomery
Watt. But Watt says on page 26 of his book that the
Arabic word Allah is similar to the Greek term ho theos
which we know is the way God is referred to in the New
Testament {see Muhammad; Prophet and Statesman by
William Montgomery Watt, Oxford University Press,
1964, p. 26).
Dr. Morey also quoted from Kenneth Cragg's book
entitled The Call of the Minaret. However, on page 36
of Kenneth Cragg's book we find the following:
"Since both Christian and Muslim faiths believe in One
supreme sovereign Creator-God, they are obviously
referring when they speak of Him, under whatever
terms, to the same Being." {The Call of the Minaret by
Kenneth Cragg, Oxford University Press, 1964, p. 36).
Further on the same page, Cragg explains that the One
whom the Muslims call Allah is the same One whom the
Christians call 'the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ', although the two faiths understand Him
differently.
Dr. Morey should know that as a scholar he has the
academic obligation to quote honestly. He should also
know that as a follower of Jesus, on whom be peace, he
has an obligation to speak the truth.
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
ma
29
♦ **
Question 8
What are some of the rights given to women in Islam?
Answer
The Quran places men and women on a similar
relationship before God, and promises both the final goal
of paradise for those who believe and do right (see
Qur'an 3:195; 4:124; 16:19; 40:40).
The Qur'an also speaks of similarity in terms of
creation. God tells us that He created a single soul and
from it its mate, then He made countless men and women
from those two (see Qur'an 4:1). The Qur'an does not
contain the belief that the man alone is created in the
image of God.
Because of this fundamental similarity between men
and women, the Qur'an declares that women have rights
similar to the rights against them according to what is
equitable (see Qur'an 2:228).
In a time when women were devalued and female
infants were buried alive, the Qur'an raised the value of
women and prohibited female infanticide. Due to the
Qur'an, this practice was abolished, but in recent times
advances in the science of genetic selection has
encouraged some unbelievers to practice a modern form
of female infanticide.
The Qur'an also abolished the practice whereby
Common Questions People A sk About Islam
_30
inheritance went to only the oldest male heir. Instead, a
woman can inherit from hfather, her husband, and her
childless brother (see Qur'an 4:7, 32, 176).
In Islam when a woman gets married she does not
surrender her maiden name, but maintains her distinct
identity. Some Muslim women have adopted the
surnames of their husbands, but this is due to cultural
influence, not Islam.
In a Muslim marriage the groom gives a dowry to the
bride, not to her father. This becomes her private
property to keep or spend, and is not subject to the
dictates of her male relatives. Any money she earns or
receives is similarly her very own.
Under Islamic Law a woman cannot be married without
her consent. She has final approval on a marriage
partner and she can repudiate a marriage arranged
without her consent. She also has the right to initiate a
separation from marriage if her rights under marriage are
not being granted.
Widows have the right to remarry, and they are in fact
encouraged to do so.
The Qur'an places on men the responsibility of
protecting and maintaining their female relatives. This
relieves women of the need to earn their own living. It
also means that a man must provide for his wife even if
she has money of her own. She is not obligated to spend
her money in the maintenance of her family.
Incidentally, a woman is also not required to cook for
her family, although she may do so out of love and
compassion. The example of our noble prophet, on
Common Q uestions People Ask About Islam
II
whom be peace, is that although he was such a great
leader, he assisted in the housecleaning and mended his
own clothes.
In return for the added responsibility, the Qur'an gives
men the degree of leadership (see Qur'an 2:228; 4:34).
This does not mean that men should dominate women,
but rather that they should deal with them in kindness,
mercy, and love (see Qur'an 4:19; 30:21).
***
Question 9
Muslims say they do not worship idols. How come when
they go to Mecca they kiss a black stone? Isn't that like
worshipping an idol?
Answer
Muslims do not worship the black stone. They regard
the stone as a created thing. The most fundamental
principle of Islam is that nothing or no one is to be
worshipped except Allah, the one true God.
Muslims who can afford the journey are required once
in their lifetime to visit the House of Worship in
Makkah. This was the first house built for the worship
of the One true God. Abraham and his son Ishmael,
peace be upon them, constructed it. The black stone was
brought to them from heaven by the angel Gabriel to
function as a corner stone. It was thus affixed in one
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
32
corner.
Because Muslims kiss that stone, some observers
hastily conclude that Muslims worship it. A kiss,
however, is not an act of worship unless it is
accompanied by an intention to worship. If you kiss
your child, for instance, that does not mean you worship
your child.
Some may find it strange that Muslims should treat a
stone with respect. But this is not just any old stone. It
is an item out of paradise.
The act of fixing a stone to mark a place of worship is
as old as history. In the Bible we are told that Jacob, on
whom be peace, had fixed a stone at a place where he
saw a vision. He poured oil on it and called it Bethel
meaning 'house of God' (see Genesis 28:18). He did this
again upon God's instruction (see Genesis 35:1, 14, 15).
No one should understand from this that God instructed
Jacob to worship the stone.
***
Question 10
Muhammad is dead. But Jesus is alive. Doesn't that mean
that Jesus is superior to Muhammad?
Answer
Muslims believe that Jesus and Muhammad were both
prophets and messengers of Allah. Peace be upon both
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
11
of them.
Muslims will not belittle any of God's prophets or
reject their message. The Qur'an tells us to declare our
faith in all of the prophets including Abraham, Moses,
and Jesus, and that we should make no distinction among
them (see Qur'an 2: 136; 3:84; 2:285). This means that
since each of them preached the true message of God, it
would be wrong to say we believe in some but not in
others.
The prophets themselves were humble servants of God.
They did not try to prove themselves superior to others.
It would be wrong for their followers to argue over who
is superior.
Once a Muslim and a Jew were arguing. The Muslim
said that Muhammad is superior over all the people. The
Jew said that Moses is superior over all the people.
When this was related to the prophet Muhammad, on
whom be peace, he said,
"Do not give me superiority over Moses" (This is
recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 4, p. 410, Arabic-
English edition).
He also said "None should say that I am better than
Jonah, son of Matta" (ibid, p. 413). He also instructed,
"Do not give superiority to any prophet among Allah's
prophets" (ibid, p. 414).
Once the Prophet was asked, "Who is the most
honorable among the people?" He replied, "The most
God-fearing". When he was asked to name a specific
individual, he replied,
"The most honorable person is Joseph ( i.e. the son of
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
Jacob)" (ibid, p. 390).
Other prophets too shared this humility. The prophet
Jesus, on whom be peace, is reported to have said,
"I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there
has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist"
(Matthew 11:11).
But John the Baptist was also humble. He did not
claim that greatness for himself. He spoke of a greater
one who was to come after him. He is quoted as saying,
"After me will come one more powerful than I, the
thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down
and untie" (Mark 1:7).
When God sent the angel Gabriel to take the prophet
Muhammad to the Aqsa Mosque one night, the prophet,
on whom be peace, led the prayers there, and the other
prophets followed his lead. He also related the truth that
on the Day of Judgment he will lead the banner of Praise
under which will be all the other prophets. But the
prophet Muhammad did not boast about this.
He instructed Muslims that they should not praise him
as the people praised Jesus, son of Mary. He said,
"Call me a slave of Allah and His Messenger" (Bukhari,
vol. 4, p. 435).
What is important is not to try and prove one prophet
superior over another, but to believe in both of them.
The prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, said:
"If a man believes in Jesus and then believes in me, he
will get a double reward" (ibid. p. 435).
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
fllllL
35
Question 11
What does Islam say about domestic violence?
Answer
Islam condemns domestic violence. Once a number of
women came to the prophet, on whom be peace, to
complain that their husbands had beaten them. The
prophet announced that men who beat their wives are not
good men. The prophet also said,
"Do not beat the female servants of Allah."
Allah knows that life is not always a bowl of cherries.
And so He stipulates that a man must be kind to his wife
even if he happens to dislike her (Quran 4: 1 9). Allah
offers a good reason as to why men should not dislike
their wives. Allah says that He has placed much good in
women (Quran 4:19).
In this regard the prophet Muhammad, on whom be
peace, said that no believing man should hold a grudge
against a believing woman. So what is a husband to do
if he dislikes some things about his wife? This is bound
to occur, since no human being is perfect. The prophet
instructed that men should look for the agreeable traits
in their wives rather than focus on their faults. (See
Saheeh Muslim, chapter on advice relating to women).
The prophet also advised men that if they wish to
benefit from marriage they should accept their wives as
they are rather than try to straighten them out and thus
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
end up in divorce.
In the following verse of the Qur'an, Allah warns men
that if they retain their wives in marriage it should not
be to take advantage of them. The verse reads:
okjr'j-Z* jf ^ jfrrl ^ilt
i_jjt lii auj ^ ijiaa ^ if,
(231 5 ^2JI) j> dll »G
"Retain them in kindness or release them in kindness.
But do not retthem to their hurt so that you transgress
(the limits). If anyone does that he wrongs his own
soul. Do not take God's instructions as a jest" (Qur'an
2:231).
Once the prophet, on whom be peace, was asked what
are the obligations of husbands toward their wives. He
replied:
"Feed her when you eat, and provide her clothing when
you provide yourself. Neither hit her on the face nor
use impolite language when addressing her" (See
Mishkat, chapter on the maintenance of women).
The prophet equated perfect belief with good treatment
to one's wife when he said:
"The most perfect believer is one who is the best in
courtesy and amiable manners, and the best among you
people is one who is most kind and courteous to his
wives" (see Tirmidhi, chapter on the obligations of a
man to his wife).
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
37
Finally, the prophet, the best example of conduct said:
"The best among you is the one who treats his family
best."
Some of the last words of the prophet delivered during
the farewell pilgrimage enjoins that men should hold
themselves accountable before Allah concerning the
question of how they treat their wives. Therefore his
advice to all men, is as follows:
"You must treat them with all kindness."
♦ **
Question 12
Muslims say they do not believe in the Bible. Yet, when
it is convenient for them, they quote verses out of
context to prove their claims. Isn't this a dishonest way
of going about it?
Answer
It is wrong and dishonest to quote anything or any book
out of context, whether it be the Bible or the Qur'an. No
Muslim should resort to such an approach. God wants us
to spread the truth by honest means only.
Having said that, it should also be said that belief in
God's revealed books is an essential part of Muslims*
fatih. Muslims believe that the original Bible that was a
collection of God's revelations, does not exist any more.
They (like Christians and Jews) do not believe that every
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
single word of the present Bible is God's revelation. No
reasonable person can do that.
I Samuel chapter 17, verses 23 & 50 says that David
killed Goliath. II Samuel 21:19 says that Elhanan killed
Goliath. I Chronicles 20:5 says that Elhanan killed not
Goliath but the brother of Goliath whose name is given
as Lahmi. Obviously, no reasonable person should
believe all three reports.
Knowing this, the editors of the King James Bible
decided to fix this problem by making a slight correction
to the Bible. They inserted three words in II Samuel
21:19 to make it say there also that Elhanan killed the
brother of Goliath. You will notice that the three words
the brother of appear there in italics to distinguish them
from the rest of the Bible.
The Interpreter's One Volume Commentary on the
Bible calls this a "conflict of tradition about Goliath" (p.
179; see also p. 212). It says further that the author of
Chronicles changed the story where it said that Elhanan
killed Goliath to make it say that Elhanan killed Lahmi
the brother of Goliath. The same commentary says
further that the statement in I Chronicles is "incorrect"
(p. 180). So here we have a Bible commentary written
by Christians, published by Christians, and sold in
Christian bookstores — yet it openly disagrees with a
statement in the Bible. This was done not because
Christians wanted to disbelieve in the Bible, but because
they had to choose, among different statements in the
Bible, which statement is more believable.
Now, this approach to the Bible does not mean that
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
39
Christians cannot refer to the Bible or quote from it or
write commentaries on it. Likewise for Muslims.
Although Muslims, like their Christian and Jewish
neighbours, do not believe in every single thing the Bible
says, students of comparative religion should be allowed
to study both the Qur'an and the Bible. Every honest
student, however, will pay close attention to the context
of what he or she reads, and apply scrupulous exactitude
when quoting from either book.
May God help us and guide us all to understand His
true message regardless in which book that truth is
contained.
***
Question 13
What does Islam say about abortion? Are there any
circumstances when abortion is allowed in Islam? What
if pregnancy results from rape or incest?
Answer
Islam values human life. This is clearly expressed in the
Qur'an where we are told that in the sight of God killing
a human is a very serious matter (see Qur'an 5:32).
The Qur'an teaches that on the Day of Judgement
parents who killed their children will be under trial for
that crime, and their children will be witnesses against
them (see Qur'an 81:8-9).
People often fear that having more children will make
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
40
them poor. In reply to that, the Quran S ays:
(31 i^i ) > ^ \ik^
"Do not slay your children for fear of poverty. We
shall provide for them and for you" (Qur'an 1 7:31 ).
Even in a case where one is already poor, the Qur'an
insists that Allah will provide sustenance for us and for
our children, and furthermore that Allah has made human
life sacred (see Qur'an 6:151).
The right to life is God-given. No human should take
away that right. The general rule, therefore, is that
abortion is not permitted in Islam.
However, Islam is a very practical religion. It includes
principles to deal with exceptional cases. One such
principle is that when a pregnancy threatens the life of
the mother, an abortion may be performed. Although the
lives of both mother and child are sacred, in this case it
is better to save the principal life, the life of the mother.
Even in this case, it would be better if the abortion is
done before the fetus is 1 20 days old, for that is when
the soul is breathed into the fetus.
Islam does not permit abortion in other cases.
Women who have been victims of rape or incest
naturally deserve sympathy and help. But a child
conceived in this unfortunate manner still has a right to
live. Of course this places an unwanted burden on the
People Ask About Islam
11
mother, but killing the child is not the right solution.
To understand this point better, suppose someone sees
the poorer sections of society as an unwanted burden on
the rich. Would it be right then to kill off all the poor?
Of course not. Why then should anyone decide that a
child should be killed just because of being an unwanted
burden?
Society as a whole should help such a mother and
relieve her as far as possible. But the child should not
be killed.
Furthermore, the fact that such cases occur is an
indication that people desperately need spiritual food.
They need the pure teachings that will help people turn
their minds away from adultery, rape, and incest. People
need God. Can you help someone to turn to God?
***
Question 14
Jesus said that he is the way and that no one can come to
God except through him. What do Muslims say about
that?
Answer
Muslims believe that Jesus, on whom be peace, was
indeed the way. This means that he showed the way by
which people should approach God. He expected that
people should follow him and imitate him. His early
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
followers were called followers of the way because,
obviously, they followed Jesus, and Jesus was the way
(see Acts 9:2; 18:25; 19:9; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14; 24:22).
They were also called Christians, which means 'imitators
of Christ' (see Acts 11:26). This shows that the early
followers of Jesus copied and imitated him.
Jesus had said that his true followers will hold on to
his teachings, then they will know the truth, and the truth
will set them free (see John 8:31-32). God did reveal
His truth in these last times. And true followers of Jesus
will readily accept that truth, for they will find it in
agreement with thunadulterated teachings of Jesus. In
these last times God has sent a messenger and declared
that anyone who claims to love Him must follow His
messenger, on whom be peace. God directs His
messenger as follows:
(31 i>\j** Ji ) jUrj
"Say! If you love Allah then follow me. Allah will
love you and forgive your sins. Surely Allah is
Forgiving, Merciful" (Qur'an 3:31).
Now this messenger, Muhammad, on whom be peace, has
brought God's final message for all of humankind. If we
love God we must follow him. He brought the truth
which Jesus said his true followers will recognise. The
truth sets people free from unreasonable doctrines and
43
dogmas.
Confusion arises in the minds of some who imagine
that Jesus is the only way for peoples of all times and all
places. Clearly, the Old Testament prophets directed
people to Yahweh the only God. They showed therefore
the way to Yahweh. In fact, people were calling on the
name of Yahweh since the time of Adam (see Genesis
4:1).
Jesus was the way for his time; now Muhammad is the
way. We believe in both of them, and we worship the
one God whom they both worshipped. These men
showed us the way to worship God. Jesus, for example,
fell on his knees and worshipped God (see Luke 22:41).
He also fell on his face and worshipped God (see
Matthew 26:39). Muhammad too adopted similar
postures of humility in worshipping God. Likewise is
the practice of the true imitators of Jesus and
Muhammad, peace be upon both of them.
Finally, we should recall that Jesus is the way, not the
destination. He spoke of one who is greater than himself
(see John 14:28). And he said that that one alone is the
only true God (see John 17:3).
God has sent numerous prophets and messengers. Each
in his time was the way to God. No one can approach
God in a way contrary to the way of God's messenger.
This is why God said that He will call to account anyone
who does not listen to His prophet who will speak in His
name (see Deuteronomy 18:19).
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
***
Question 15
Muslims say that the Qur'an is a Miracle. What is so
miraculous about a book?
Answer
Previous prophets performed miracles to prove that their
message was not their own but God's message. In the
case of the Qur'an, the message itself is the miracle.
The prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, did not
know how to read or write. Yet the Qur'an which was
being revealed to him was (and still is) the highest
pinnacle of literary beauty and excellence in the Arabic
Language. It was beyond the ability of the prophet to
produce this book. And God declares that it is beyond
the ability of all of humankind and spirit-kind to produce
a book like the Qur'an.
The Qur'an was revealed piece by piece over a period
of twenty-three years. During this time, God challenged
humankind four times to produce a book like the Qur'an,
and they couldn't do it. When the prophet and his
followers were being persecuted in Mecca, God showed
the persecutors a simple way in which they can wipe out
the message of the Qur'an. God stated that this book
cannot be produced by men or spirit creatures.
Obviously, if they pooled together their abilities and
composed a book like the Qur'an they would have proved
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
the Qur'an to be false in its claim. But they couldn't.
And here is what the Qur'an claims:
dj*t| U OT>Ji lift jL< iji £)( j£ J^ij ^ cJU^t 'J JJ
(88 1^1 ) >J ^ ovr ft aL«
"Say: If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather
together to produce the like of this Qur'an they could
not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up
each other with help and support" (Qur'an 17:88).
Although people ardently wished to block the message
of the Qur'an and they tried every thing they could to
stifle it, yet they did not try this obvious strategy. Why?
Because it cannot be done.
So God reduced the challenge for them: nevermind
the whole book; produce just ten chapters if you can.
This challenge is mentioned in Surah 11:13 in the
Qur'an. Again they couldn't do it. And they were the
literary giants of their day. They held fairs to promote
their own literary masterpieces. They hung their prized
compositions on the door of the house of pilgrimage for
all to see. But they could not match the stunning verses
of the Qur'an.
God reduced the challenge further still (see Qur'an
10:38). If they cannot produce ten chapters then how
about one chapter? Just one! And they couldn't do it, so
they eventually pulled down their proud exhibits from
where they were hung. The Qur'an had proved its point:
this is no man-made book.
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
Yet they tried everything to banish the Qur'an from the
face of the earth. They even made an attempt on the life
of the prophet. He fled to Madinah, another city. And
there the Qur'an kept coming to him piece by piece. The
challenge was repeated yet again. This time God
reduced the emphasis as if to say, okay you couldn't
produce a chapter like it; now produce a chapter even
remotely like it. This challenge is mentioned in the
Qur'an in chapter 2, verse 23.
They failed again. And the world has failed since.
The challenge is still there in the Qur'an, and everyone
who disbelieves the Qur'an can still pool together their
abilities and resources to try and produce one like it.
But they cannot. Isn't this an awesome miracle?
***
Question 16
If God is Loving, Kind, and Merciful, why would He
punish anyone in Hell?
Answer
Due to a slight misunderstanding, many people see this
as an unresolvable contradiction. This question has
troubled them to the point of driving them away from
religion altogether. The misunderstanding begins with
the assumption that God loves everyone, even sinners.
Then it becomes difficult to explain why God would
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
punish sinners.
Some people attempt to explain their way around this
by saying that God loves the sinner but hates the sin.
This explanation would have been good enough if God
would punish the sin and save the sinner. Instead, God
will punish the sinner, so the problem remains.
To survey the problem a little further, consider the
following quote from Matthew's Gospel:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour
and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your
enemies . . ." (Matthew 5:43-44).
Now, this passage indicates that it is a good thing to
love one's enemies. It follows, then, that God, being
infinitely good, must love His enemies too. But then,
why would He punish them? Why, for example, would
God torment some of His creatures day and night for
ever and ever in a lake of burning sulphur if He loves
them? (see Revelation 20:10)
The Qur'an resolves this problem by indicating quite
clearly that although God is full of loving kindness He
does not love sinners who refuse to change.
We know from the Qur'an that Allah does not like the
following categories of people:
• mischief makers
• treacherous ingrates
• proud people
• prodigals
• rejectors of God's message.
It presents, therefore, no difficulty in the mind of a
Muslim if God punishes such people. On the other hand.
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
48
it makes more sense that God will not treat the good and
bad in the same manner. Therefore we must all try our
best to do what pleases God, and seek His forgiveness
for our failings.
The Qur'an tells us that Allah loves the following
categories of people:
• those who do good
• those who repent for their sins
• those who keep themselves clean
• those who fulfil their pledges and are conscious of
Allah
• those who are steadfast on the right path
• those who trust in Allah.
Let us therefore ask God to make us deserving of His
infinite love.
**♦
Question 17
Why is it that Muslims do not accept the doctrine of
original sin?
Answer
The reason Muslims do not accept this doctrine is that
the word of God, the Qur'an, does not agree with it.
The Qur'an teaches that God is ever willing to forgive
anyone who turns to him in sincere repentance. We find
in the Qur'an that God taught Adam and Eve how to seek
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
49
His forgiven. When they did as God taught them, God
forgave them (see Qur'an 20:122).
Adam and Eve were created with the potential to do
either good or evil. They had a free choice either to
obey God or disobey Him. They did not realise how
deceptive the devil was and so, prompted by him, they
made one wrong choice. Will God remain forever angry
with them over that one mistake? No! Instead, God
taught them how to repair their relationship with Him by
praying for forgiveness. Muslims still often recite the
same prayer, as follows:
Otj9>*i* bf'^M ^-jh & >W ^ h{j tuJbl £J& iSjj ifcj
(23 *J\j**i\ >
"Our Lord, we have wronged our souls. If you do not
forgive us and have mercy on us, then surely we are
lost" (Qur'an 7:23).
What we obtain from that incident is not original sin,
but original forgiveness, and an original lesson on how
to seek that forgiveness. God set the precedent that He
will forgive those who turn to Him in sincere repentance.
We will all find ourselves in a similar situation as Adam
and Eve. The prophet, on whom be peace, said that
every child of Adam is a sinner, and the best of them are
those who turn back to God in sincere repentance.
This shows that God does not demand absolute
perfection from us humans. That would be an impossible
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
demand, since God alone is absolutely perfect. To err is
human. God wants us to know that he will accept us as
we are, shortcomings and all, as long as we are trying
our best to obey Him.
Even in our human situations, it is well understood that
absolute perfection is not to be demanded from anyone.
Suppose teachers were to demand that all students must
score 100% on all their tests, and that if they make even
one mistake they will not pass. No one of sound mind
will demand this, for it is clearly beyond human
capacity. Similarly, God does not demand from people
what is beyond their capacity (see Qur'an 2:226).
Some will say that Adam was created perfect and that
when he sinned he ruined that perfection. This
suggestion makes no sense. If perfection meant that
Adam had no ability to choose between good and evil,
then how did he exercise that choice which he
supposedly did not have? And if he had the ability to
choose, as Muslims believe, then why would God remain
forever angry with him for his first mistake? Humankind
was then in its infancy. We needed someone to pick us
up when we fall, not someone to bulldoze us with a
tremendous burden of sin and guilt.
Some will say that God could not forgive Adam even if
He wanted to do so, since God is Just and He must exact
justice. This is as if to say that justice is contrary to
mercy, and that God is so fenced in by His own law that
He has no freedom to do what He wants to do. How
silly! The truth is that God warns us of His punishment,
but He also promises forgiveness for those who sincerely
Common Questions People Ask About Islam 51
repent. If He decides to save sinners, who is there to say
He cannot do what He wishes?
***
Question 18
You said that every child of Adam is a sinner. Does that
mean we are born with sin?
Answer
No. Muslims believe that every child is born in a pure,
natural state. Left to their own, children will grow up
instinctively seeking the one true God, Allah. However,
environmental influences and parents turn a child away
from the pure, natural state. A saying of the prophet, on
whom be peace and the blessings of God, confirms this.
It says that each child is born in a natural state just as,
for example a baby animal is born without any brand on
its body; then the owner brands it with his own mark.
Similarly, parents too would give a newborn their own
religious identity (see Sahih al-Bukhari, Arabic-English,
vol. 8, no. 597, and Sahih Muslim, Eng. Trans, vol 4, no.
6423).
The saying "every child of Adam is a sinner" means
that every human being is a sinner, sin being an
inevitable outcome of a fallible human nature. No matter
how righteous a person is, he or she may at times
disobey God through ignorance or forgetfulness. The
People Ask About Islam
52
prophet, on whom be peace, meant to emphasize that the
best person is the one who seeks forgiveness for his or
her sins. Furthermore, he said that one who repents from
sin is like one without sin. God says in the Qur'an that
He will replace the evil deeds with good for those who
repent, bel ieve, and do righteous deeds (see Qur'an
25:70).
Another saying of the prophet indicates that God
actually intended that humans will be a species that
commit sins so they can turn to Him and He would
forgive them (see Sahih Muslim, Eng. Trans., vol. 4, nos.
6620-2). This is a much better explanation than the
popular conception according to which God at first sees
that humans are good, then God discovers that they are
wicked and so, being sorry that He made them in the first
place, God eventually decides to wipe them off the face
of the earth; but then he changes His mind again and lets
them eventually procreate and fill the earth although
they are still sinful as ever. The better explanation is
that God knew in advance that we would sin, and we
turned out just the way God planned. God does not
discover new things — He knows everything always.
So, simply put, the Islamic belief is that people are not
born in sin but they will eventually commit sins for
which they should sincerely repent, and God will wipe
out their sins. People do not inherit sins. Sin is
something you do wrong. You couldn't have done
anything before you were born, therefore you were born
without sin. The Qur'an teaches that God does not hold
us responsible for what others did before we were born,
Common Questions People Afk About Islam
53
and no innocent person would carry the guilt of another
(see Qur'an 4:1 1 1; 6:164). This coincides with our own
sense of justice. No one considers it right to blame
children for the sins of their ancestors, or to punish the
innocent so that the guilty may go free.
***
Question 19
If there is no original sin, how come everyone has to die?
Isn't death the consequence of sin?
Answer
Muslims have a very positive view of life and death.
Life on earth is temporary. Death is the door through
which one enters into everlasting life. Muslims do not
see death as something scary or frightful. Death is the
way one returns to Allah.
God says in the Qur'an:
bjfry j£fj J\ \i }& fi) *jJi o>Ji a^j-u * jl
(11 5ji*vJ» )
"Say: The angel of death, who has been given charge of
you, will carry off your souls. Then to your Lord you
shall all return" (Qur'an 32:11).
Muslims hopeful of God's mercy look forward to the
day when God will address them as stated in the Qur'an:
People Ask About Islam
54
(30-27 yM»i ) J* ^»t*29)tf»tfe J
"O peaceful and fully satisfied soul, return to your
Lord: you are well-pleased (with your good end) and
well-pleasing (in the sight of your Lord). Join My
(righteous) servants and enter my Paradise" (Qur'an
89: 27-30).
Viewed in this way, death becomes a joy for the true
believer. This view of death was further explained in a
saying of the Prophet, on whom be peace. He said:
"Allah loves to meet whoever loves to meet Him."
It is true that no one likes to die. But the prophet, on
whom be peace, said:
"When death comes to a believer, he is given good news
of the pleasure of Allah and His gifts. There is then
nothing dearer to him than what is ahead of him. So he
loves to meet Allah, and Allah loves to meet him" (This
was reported by Bukhari and Muslim).
This positive view of death should not imply a negative
view of life. Life should be lived to its fullest, and
believers should not wish for an end to their lives. The
prophet said: that no believer should wish for death, for,
as long as there is life in you, if you are righteous,
perhaps you may increase your good deeds, and if you
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
55
are sinful, perhaps given time you may repent (reported
by Bukhari).
God in His plan devised this earthly life as a temporary
life. The earth is a testing ground. Those who accept
God's guidance in this life will be given the abundance
of God's grace in the next, the everlasting life. When
God decreed for humans to live on the earth, He
declared:
vi^f aiftf i/iTj tj>r ^^(38)0^; u} j^fc
(39-38 SyLJi ) ojiJ> jOJ»
"Hence there shall come to you guidance from Me now
and again; whoever will follow it shall have neither
fear nor sorrow, and whoever will refuse to accept it
and defy Our Revelation, they shall be doomed to the
Fire wherein they shall remain forever" (Qur'an 2:38-
39).
Again, God says that He "created life and death so that
He may try you, which of you is best in conduct"
(Qur'an 67:2).
God says further:
LJj(2)»i — +i \**~* idini 4*i# j-Lii Uki 'ja OCj^ dii* \S\
(3-2 aujii > ijjiJr 4j i^ra 4 j_Ui iujii
(9-8 JJLJ» ) Ilii3Uii(9) l >5*2ki b'LJj(8)^ *J J«*J ifl
- - x '
Common Que stions People Ask About Islam
"Indeed We created man from a mixed drop to try him
and therefore We made him capable of hearing and
seeing. We showed him the way, whether to be
grateful or disbelieving" (Qur'an 76:2-3); see also
90:8-10).
In this life we should use our God-given faculties to
learn and follow God's message. The Qur'an says that
those who end up being punished for their sins will
regret that they neither listened nor used their brains
when God's message had reached them (see Qur'an
67:10).
Incidentally, in the Qur'an it is not said that God
warned Adam and Eve of death if they ate from the
forbidden tree. What God actually said to them was that
if they ate from the tree they would become wrongdoers
(see Qur'an 2:35). Given the Qur'anic viewpoint, there
is no reason to consider death as a consequence for sin.
***
Question 20
How can you say that death is not the consequence for
sin whereas the Bible clearly teaches that it is?
Answer
The best way to understand this would be to study the
story found in the book of Genesis in the Holy Bible.
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
57
Let us begin with a brief outline of the story. We are
told that God warned Adam that if he eats from the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil, he will surely die.
This was communicated also to Eve. The serpent,
however, being deceptive, promised Eve that they will
not die from eating it. So she ate the fruit, and gave also
to her husband. As a result of eating the fruit, they
realised for the first time that they were naked, so they
covered themselves with fig leaves. When they heard the
sound of God walking in the garden in the cool of the
day, they hid from Him among the trees. He called out
to them asking where they were and asked whether they
had eaten from the forbidden tree. Adam blamed Eve,
and Eve blamed the serpent. God then cursed all three of
them. The serpent shall henceforth crawl on its belly
and eat dust. The woman shall suffer in childbearing and
remain under the domination of her husband. The man
shall have to sweat for his living until he returns to dust.
God then said: "The man has now become like one of us,
knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach
out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat,
and live forever." So God banished him from the garden
and placed a flaming sword to prevent access to the tree
of life (Condensed from Genesis 2:17 - 3:22).
Many people misunderstand this story to mean that
physical death is a consequence for sin. But the biblical
scholars who are aware of all its implications explain
otherwise. The Interpreter's One Volume Commentary
on the Bible explains that death here means separation
from God, the giver of "life" (p. 6).
Common Questions Peo ple Ask About Islam
The reason for this other explanation is the obvious
fact that in the story Adam did not die. He lived on for
930 years (see Genesis 5:5). And when God spoke of his
eventual death, He mentioned it not as a consequence of
sin, but as a natural outcome of the fact that Adam was
created from dust — and to dust he must return (see
Genesis 3:19).
When a few verses later it is stated that God deprived
Adam access to the tree of life many people again
conclude that because of sin Adam was deprived of
everlasting life. But this too is not what the book of
Genesis says. The story goes that once Adam gained
knowledge of good and evil, God was concerned that he
may now gain eternal life also (see Genesis 3:22). The
Abingdon Bible Commentary explains that Adam was
deprived of eternal life because he had already acquired
some power, namely knowledge, and God was concerned
lest Adam should acquire more, namely eternal life, and
become a threat to God (see the Abingdon Bible
Commentary, p. 223).
It is clear from the story that even if Adam was
promised death he was given a lesser penalty, and death
must be taken as the maximum possible penalty — that,
obviously, was not given. Elsewhere in the book of
Genesis, when God killed certain men for their
wickedness, it meant instant death (see Genesis 38: 7,
10). But the death that comes as the natural end to
physical life is not a penalty for sin. It is better to
understand that God in His mercy gave a lesser penalty
to Adam than to suppose that God in His anger gave
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
59
more penalties in addition to what He stated initially.
This is why Reverend W. K. Lowther Clarke explained in
his Bible commentary that God relented and gave Adam a
lesser penalty (see the Concise Bible Commentary, 1952,
p. 343).
In the next question, we will examine the Qur'anic
perspective on the Genesis story.
***
Question 21
Does the Qur'an have the story of the Fall of Man as told
in the Bible? Are the stories similar or different?
Answer
They are similar in a basic outline, but different on a
few important points.
First, let us consider the basic outline. Adam and Eve
were placed in a garden in a state of happiness. God
instructed them to eat from any tree except one tree.
Eventually, they were deceived into eating from the
forbidden tree and their nakedness became apparent to
them. God then expelled them from the garden.
Now, the disagreements.
1. Neither book names the fruit, but the Bible alone
calls it the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The
Qur'an does not call it such, but teaches that humans are
already inspired with the knowledge of good and evil at
Common Que stions People Ask About Islam
60
creation in order to enable them to exercise choice
between good and evil. This knowledge did not come as
a result of eating from a forbidden tree.
2. The Bible says the deceiver was a serpent, but the
Qur'an says it was Satan.
3. The Bible says that Adam was not deceived, but
only Eve was deceived; it says that Eve then gave the
fruit to Adam and he ate. On the other hand, more than
one Qur'anic passages mention that they were both
deceived. One passage specifically says that Satan
approached Adam and deceived him. The Qur'an does
not single out Eve for blame in any passage.
4. The Bible says that when the couple heard the
sound of God walking in the garden in the cool of the
day, they hid from him among the trees. So God called
out to Adam asking where he was, and asking if he ate
from the forbidden tree. On the other hand the Qur'an
does not depict God in limited human form. The Qur'an
and the Bible both teach that God knows everything
always.
5. According to the Bible, when the couple was
confronted with their mistake, they blamed each other,
and Adam even blamed God because God gave him the
woman who gave him the fruit. According to the Qur'an
they did not pass the blame. Instead, both repented.
6. According to the Bible, God cursed them.
According to the Qur'an, God forgave them and guided
them.
7. According to the Bible, they were driven out of the
garden because God was afraid that they may eat from
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
the tree of life and live forever. According to the
Qur'an, God's plan was to educate our first parents in
paradise, then send them into the world for a limited
time to resist Satan, the enemy. They were sent to earth
as part of God's plan for them; not as a way of
preventing them access to the tree of life, but as a test to
distinguish those deserving of everlasting enjoyment in
God's paradise.
8. According to the Bible, God had said that when
Adam eats from the tree he would surely die, and the
serpent said they will not surely die. The serpent was
right — they did not die. Contrary to this, in the Qur'an,
God said that if Adam and Eve eat from the tree they will
become wrongdoers, ththey will have to leave the garden
and come out to where they will have to labour. Satan,
however, promised them that if they eat from the tree
they will live forever. Satan was wrong — they did not
live forever.
9. According to the Bible, because of God's curse,
serpents have to crawl and eat dust, women have to
suffer in childbirth, and men have to sweat for a living.
According to the Qur'an, no such curse was issued. The
difficulties of life on earth are what makes it different
from life in paradise.
***
Question 22
Why does the Qur'an agree with the Bible in some things
and disagree in other things?
Qqmmqn Questions People Ask About Islam
62
Answer
The Bible is an important means by which people had
access to God's message for thousands of years. It
contains many truths from God. Throughout history
many prophets were sent by God to guide humankind.
The Qur'an teaches that prophets were sent to every
people to call them to shun false gods and worship only
the one true God. Some of the truths which those
prophets taught are recorded in the Bible. A seeker of
truth cannot deny those truths.
The Bible has had more impact on western civilization
than any other book. The Bible's emphasis on the belief
in the one and only God has helped millions of people to
turn away from worshipping idols and other false gods.
Famous commandments like 'you shall not murder' have
become universal principles. Many of the Bible's moral
principles have helped to convert some of the worst
people into compassionate, good citizens.
Obviously, if the Qur'an were to disagree with these
moral and theological truths the Qur'an would have to
teach the opposite of truth. This the Qur'an does not do.
Where the Bible is true the Qur'an is also true, since
they agree on many fundamental truths. This agreement,
however, does not mean that one book copied out of
another as some individuals are quick to conclude. This
we have already demonstrated in our answer to Question
6. The reason the Qur'an agrees with the truths in the
Bible is that those truths and the Qur'anic passages all
come from the same source, namely God. Since He alone
revealed the Qur'an and all the truths of the Bible, it is
only logical that the truth will be one, regardless in
which book it is found.
When the Qur'an disagrees with the Bible it is also for
a reason. The Qur'an was revealed at a time when
people knew the art of writing, and so designated scribes
were able to write down the revelation immediately to
ensure its preservation in written form. At the time
people were also accustomed to memorizing eloquent
compositions. With God's help they began a practice of
memorizing the Qur'an thus ensuring its preservation
also in the hearts of millions of believers throughout
history. Due to these two preservation methods, the
Qur'an available all over the world today is the same in
its original language whether you buy a copy in Canada,
Australia, or China.
Therefore the Qur'an can be trusted in its entirety, and
a believer can confidently say, "All of it is from our
Lord" as the Qur'an states in 3:7. God has promised that
He will safeguard the book (Qur'an 1 5:9). He further
says that no falsehood can get into the Qur'an (Qur'an
41:42). He tells us that He sent the Qur'an to confirm
the truth of what is in the previous scriptures and also to
expose the errors that crept into those scriptures (Qur'an
5:48).
So one reason the Qur'an differs from the Bible will be
understood best in light of the transmission history of
the two books.
Another type of difference between the two books
pertains to the specific instructions that God gave. God
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
64
always gives instructions which are suitable for the
varying conditions of human life. Some of the
instructions in the Bible, were meant for a particular
historical circumstance, and are therefore no longer
applicable. Since the Qur'an is newer, it contains God's
latest instructions which are still applicable to our
present conditions, and which provide the best solution
for some of life's most pressing problems today.
***
Question 23
Does the Qur'an teach Muslims to believe in the Torah,
the Psalms and the gospel?
If so, how come Muslims do not accept the Bible?
Answer
The Qur'an commands Muslims to believe in the
revelations given to all of God's prophets. These
prophets include Moses, David, and Jesus (peace be upon
them). Muslims must believe in the revelations received
by such prophets. Books associated with them are called
by the names Torah, Psalms, and Gospel. Muslims,
therefore believe in the original Torah, Psalms and
Gospel.
The Bible contains books by the same names and other
books besides. Muslims are not commanded to believe
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
in the other books. To be more specific, the Bible
contains 66 books in the Protestant version, and 73 in the
Catholic version. In the Bible, consisting 66 or 73
books, the Torah is represented as 5 books, the Psalms as
I, and the Gospel in 4 versions. This makes a total of 10
books within the Bible. Muslims are not required to
believe in any more than the ten books.
But that assumes that the 10 books referred to are the
same as what the Qur'an refers to when the Qur'an
speaks of the Torah, Psalms and Gospel. A further check
proves that these books changed contents over time
although their names remained the same. To understand
this concept, consider that a book like the Encyclopedia
Britannica changes its contents and size several times
throughout its history, yet is called by the same name.
Obviously the Encyclopedia Britannica is not the same as
it used to be.
A closer check shows that something similar occurred
with the Torah, Psalms, and Gospel. For a long time
many people believed that Moses wrote the five books
called Torah in the Bible. But now it is widely known
that Moses could not have written those books in their
entirety. One evidence for this is that Chapter 34 of the
book of Deuteronomy describes the death and burial of
Moses, and how the people mourned for him after his
death. Obviously, Moses did not write that passage.
Biblical scholars also acknowledge that the present
composition of the Psalms cannot in its entirety be
traced back to David.
The Gospels is a more complex matter because the
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
Bible contains not one but four. There is only one true
Gospel which Jesus preached, but these are represented
in four versions each according to a different author.
The Qur'an requires Muslims to believe in the original
Gospel that Jesus preached before the four versions were
written. Everyone agrees that the four versions were
written long after Jesus.
***
Question 24
What does Islam say about homosexuality?
Answer
Islam teaches that homosexual acts are sinful and
punishable by God. This teaching comes not from human
beings, but from the Creator of all humans. God tells us
in His own words how He punished the people of Lot for
their homosexual behaviour.
The story of the prophet Lot, on whom be peace, finds
mention in several Qur'anic passages (see especially
Qur'an 26:160-175). From these passages we learn that
God saved Lot and the righteous ones of his family, and
rained on the rest a shower of brimstone, so they were
utterly destroyed. This is mentioned in the Qur'an not
only for the sake of information, but mainly to serve as a
warning to anyone who dares to repeat such acts.
Muslims believe that every human action leads to
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
67
consequences. Good actions entail good results, and evil
actions entail evil consequences. Some of these
consequences may not become known for many years
after a certain action. The consequences of some actions
will become manifest only after death when one enters a
new, everlasting life. To understand this point, consider
the fact that often people contract a deadly disease which
is diagnosed many years after the f. A common mistake
among humans is that if they do not see any negative
consequences for their actions they consider their actions
harmless. Human experience has taught us that a source
of superior know ledge can be of tremendous benefit to
humans. In the past, doctors unwittingly gave blood
tainted with the AIDS virus to thousands of patients. If
a source of superior knowledge had warned us
beforehand, and we paid attention to that warning, we
could have saved many people from this deadly disease.
God, the source of all knowledge, warns us of His
punishment if people perpetrate homosexual acts. Let us
pay attention and learn the easy way.
Some will say that a person may be born with
homosexual tendencies. We say that everyone is a free
agent. God lays before us two paths and has given us
knowledge of where these paths lead. One is the path to
which the devil calls us. We must avoid that. Another is
the path leading to paradise. We must stick to that one.
Everyone experiences evil prompting from time to time.
We must resist those with all our might. If one feels a
tendency to do something that God prohibits, he or she
should seek help from a community of loving, caring,
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
believers who would understand his or her difficulty and
help him or her overcome it.
A common ploy of the devil is to convince people that
they cannot avoid sin. Then they do not even try. But
God promises that the devil can have no lasting power
over those who sincerely seek God (see Qur'an 15:42).
Finally, our bodies are given to us in trust from God.
One should not use his or her body contrary to the user
guide provided by its Maker. Consenting adults also
need God's consent.
**♦
Question 25
Why do Muslim women cover their heads? Isn't this a
sign of subjection of women?
Answer
Muslim women cover their heads because God so
directed in His final book, the Glorious Qur'an. The
head cover is specifically mentioned in 24:31.
This instruction from God is only one aspect of a wider
context of purity of thought and action for men and
women. Islam has very strict rules against adultery and
fornication, and introduces many cautious measures to
ensure the prevention and avoidance of such sins. One
measure is the prescription that men and women as far as
possible should avoid intermingling (see Qur'an 33:53).
Common Questions People Ask About Islam
This is why men and women pray in separate areas or
separate rows in the Mosque.
Another measure is that men and women should cover
the specified areas of their bodies which may arouse
sexual desire in others (see Qur'an 7:26; 33:59).
Yet another measure is that men and women should
lower or turn their gaze away from looking at a person of
the opposite sex (see Qur'an 24:31).
The idea that the head covering is a sign of subjection
of women is found not in the Qur'an but in another
religious book with which the Qur'an does not always
agree. That other book teaches that women should have
a sign of authority over their heads because man was not
created from woman, but woman from man. The same
book says that a man should not cover his head because
he is the image and glory of God; and a woman should
cover her head because she is the glory of man. The
Qur'an does not identify with these ideas. The Qur'anic
prescription of head cover does not in any way imply the
subjection of women.
People often confuse the Islamic prescriptions with
ideas they are already familiar with. Therefore when
they see Muslim women covering their heads they hastily
conclude that it is for the same reasons mentioned in
some other religious book. But to gain a better
understanding of Islamic prescriptions, they have to be
viewed within the framework of Islamic thought.
Another mistake made by many is as follows. When
they hear that the Qur'an includes the story of Adam and
Eve they conclude that the Qur'an also upholds the idea
Qommqn Questions People Ask About Islam
70
that Eve was responsible for the fall of man, and that the
subjection of women is a necessary result of God's curse
on them. On the contrary, the Qur'an is free of such
ideas. In the Qur'an, Adam and Eve were both
approached by the Devil. The Devil did not approach
Adam through Eve. Adam is therefore specifically
blamed in the Qur'an 20:121. In other verses they are
both blamed; but in no verse is Eve alone singled out to
be blamed for the fall of man. Although men are charged
with the responsibility of leadership in Islam too, this is
in view of the practical dynamics of human interaction as
prescribed by God. It is not because of a curse on
women.
It would be a mistake to take the prescriptions of Islam
and associate them with ideas held outside of Islam.
Within Islam, women are capable of as much good as
men, and they stand before God equally honoured.
***
Question 26
The Bible says in Revelation 22:18, 19 that nothing is to
be added to it. In view of this, how can a believer in the
Bible accept the Qur'an?
Answer
The Christian scholar William Barclay in his
commentary on Revelation quotes another Christian
People Ask About Islam
71
scholar R.H. Charles as saying that the above mentioned
passage in Revelation "may not be part of the original
book at all" (Revised 1976, volume 2, p. 232). After
mentioning the reasons for this, Barclay agrees with
Charles by saying:
"It is, therefore, by no means impossible that these
words are not the words of John but of a later scribe
anxious that none should alter the book in the days to
come" (vol. 2, p. 232).
But even if that passage is genuine, it does not prohibit
a believer from believing also in the Qur'an. Many
people misunderstand the passage if they are unaware of
the history of the Bible and how it came to be written.
They assume that because the book entitled Revelation is
the last book in the Bible it must have been the last book
from God, and that every later book should be rejected.
However, according to many Bible Commentaries such
an understanding is wrong. The Abingdon Bible
Commentary explains as follows:
"The fact that the words happen to come at the end of
the English Bible has led some to suppose that they
applied to the whole Bible itself. This, of course, is
not so. As a matter of fact, several New Testament
books were written after Revelation" (The Abingdon
Bible Commentary, 1929, p. 1398).
As the above quote explains, the book entitled
Revelation cannot be the last book from God. The Bible
itself contains some books which were written after the
book entitled Revelation.
The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures,
Common Questions People Ask 4(m« Islam
72
shows that four books in the Bible were written after
Revelation (Revised edition 1984, p. 1547).
Similarly, Asimov's Guide to the Bible shows that
Revelation was not the last book of the Bible to be
written (vol. 2, p. 567).
Another book entitled Key to the Bible claims that the
last book of the Bible was 2 Peter (see vol. 3, p. 152).
Yet another Christian scholar points out that at least
six books in the Bible were written after Revelation (see
Reading the New Testament by Pheme Perkins, 1988, pp.
2-8).
Clearly, then, the passage does not prohibit its
believers from accepting later messages from God. In
spite of that passage, believers were still able to believe
in other books which they included in the Bible.
Every seeker of truth must examine the Qur'an too to
see if it really is from God. One who examines the
Qur'an will find the following:
1. Fourteen hundred years later, all opponents of the
Qur'an have failed to produce a book like the Qur'an.
The Qur'an rightly said that they can never do it (see
our answer to Question 15).
2. The Qur'an speaks about the future, then the future
unfolds exactly the way the Qur'an said it would.
3. The Qur'an describes aspects of history unknown to
its contemporaries and confirmed by independent studies
(see Question #6).
4. The Qur'an makes statements which no human being
could make without knowledge of modern sciences, or
prito the invention of the microscope (Ask for our free
brochure entitled: Scientific Accuracy of the Qur'an
Amazes University of Toronto Professor).
***
Question 27
Does the Qur'an contain any prophecies about the
future? Have any of these proved true?
Answer
Yes, the Qur'an contains many prophecies about the
future. Many of these have already proved true, and we
confidently expect that the others will also come to pass
in due time. In addition, no statement in the Qur'an has
ever proved to be false.
Let us see some examples of Qur'anic prophecies
which were already fulfilled. One example is a prophecy
that occurs in Surah 30 of the Qur'an. In the first six
verses Allah promised that the Romans who had just
been defeated in the year 615 C.E. would turn around
and win a decisive victory within nine years.
At the time this statement was made, no human could
envision how it could come to pass. The Romans had
been so soundly defeated that no hope was left that they
could make a comeback within such a short period of
time. The unbelievers mocked at the Muslims over this
passage in the Qur'an because they thought the prophecy
would surely fail. One man, Ummayah bin Khalaf by
Common Quest ions People Ask About Islam
name, even placed a bet of a hundred camels that the
prophecy would fail. Abu Bakr, the closest follower of
the prophet, on whom be peace, took up that challenge
because he was sure that the word of God can never fail.
And true enough, within the specified period, in the year
624 CE, the Romans confronted the Persians in battle at
a place called Issus. The Romans won their decisive
victory exactly as prophecised in the Qur'an, and Abu
Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, won the bet of one
hundred camels. In the meantime, however, revelation
from Allah had prohibited gambling, so the prophet
directed Abu Bakr to give away the camels to the poor
and needy.
So the prophecy was fulfilled. But there is more to
this. The same verses contain yet another prophecy. It
says that while the Romans are winning their victory, the
believers in the Qur'an will rejoice in the victory granted
by Allah. We know from history that in that very year
the Muslims were threatened with total annihilation, but
Allah rescued them. The Muslims had been driven out of
Mecca their hometown. Now they found safe haven in
Medina. But the unbelievers could not rest knowing that
the Muslims were free to practice their faith somewhere
else. So they marched against the Muslims with an army
of one thousand men fully equipped for battle. The
Muslims mustered the best defence they could, a mere
313 men lacking suitable equipment for battle. From a
human point of view, the greater force would win, but
the help of Allah was with the small group of believers.
Miraculously, the believers won, and the Qur'anic
Common
11
prophecy was fulfilled despite all odds. The unfolding
of this double prophecy proves beyond doubt that the
Qur'an could not have been authored by any human
being.
Another prophecy occurs in Surah 1 1 1 of the Qur'an.
That Surah states that a certain man and his wife will
perish as unbelievers. This was uttered at a time when
no one but God could say who will or will not become
believers later on. Many of the most severe opponents in
the early days became devoted followers in later days.
But not this couple. They tried everything to oppose,
ridicule, and disprove the Qur'an. One would expect
that they would also pretend to become believers just to
throw doubt on the accuracy of the Qur'an. But they did
not apply this obvious strategy. What prevented them, if
not the power of God and the truth of His word?
In this way many prophecies were fulfilled, and not one
has ever failed. This gives us every reason to place our
full confidence in the book of God.
***
Common Quest s™ People Ask About Islam
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